Lamb Shoulder Chop with Cabbage, Apple, and Onion

‘Tis the season for all sorts of holidays, and right now if you are Jewish it is Hanukkah.  So, I decided to post something that would be Hanukkah friendly (ie, it would be kosher).  It also sounds a bit Irish, or Eastern European, or…

Actually, it just sounds very good!

Lamb, Cabbage, Apple, Onion

You can use shoulder chops or sirloin chops from the lamb, but it really won’t lend itself to those highly-priced loin chops (you know, those bits of rib with about 2 bites of meat on each one).  This is more rustic fare.

Sliver up that cabbage! You can use green (white) cabbage if you prefer.

One good thing about lamb… it is reasonably forgiving of time and temperature variabilities when being cooked.

Red cabbage, onion, apple, waiting for their moment in the sun… er, heat of the skillet…

I only made one chop (for me)!  Multiply as needed.  (Back in the day before I was retired, lamb chops made a great lunch to bring to work and nuke accordingly.)

Sizzle!

I used my own rosemary that I’d dried from my herb garden.

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rest Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1
Leftovers: Refrigerate and nuke, or return to the skillet as desired.

• 1/2 small to medium onion, diced.  (About 80 grams)
• 1 tablespoon high temperature avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
• 1 lamb shoulder chop (or sirloin chop).  Mine was 0.88 ounces (and bone is in).
• red cabbage, slivered, then chopped… about 150 grams.  (White/green cabbage would work as well.)
• 1 apple, cored and chunked.  Skin removal is optional.
• 4 teaspoons blood orange balsamic vinegar (or another fruit flavor, or a concentrated unflavored balsamic)
• 1.5 tablespoons low sodium gluten-free tamari/soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
• 1 – 1.5 teaspoons dried crumbled rosemary.
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (or one lime)
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or regular ground black pepper)
• Salt if needed.

To be honest, this ended up being more than I (one person) could eat, but would not be enough for a second person.  Or maybe two if not so hungry?

At any rate, leftovers DO work!

Precise measurements not needed and at the end you taste and adjust for seasonings.

Saute the onion in oil in a large skillet until just translucent.

Turn the heat under the skillet to medium high, add the lamb and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side, moving the onions to the far side of the skillet.  Then reduce heat to medium and cook the lamb on one side.  Add the rest of the veggies in, now, and all the seasonings/spices except the lemon/lime juice.  Keep the veggies to the side of the lamb, but let the seasonings go where they will (okay, I did focus on putting rosemary primarily on the lamb!  I also did not add any salt at this stage, preferring to adjust for that at the end of cooking, as even low sodium tamari might possibly have enough salt.)

Cover and cook for about 8 minutes, reaching in to move veggies around ever so often.  Cooking time will vary depending on 1) thickness of the chop, 2) your cook top heat, and 3) your preferred level of done-ness.  Mine was somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 inches, and I like medium-rare to medium with regards to lamb chops.

Flip, moving the veggies around some more, and add the lemon (or lime) juice to all elements of the dish.  Cook another 5 minutes (approximately).  Feel free to use a meat thermometer, inserting the tip somewhere not near a bone.

Taste, adjust, plate and serve.  I put the veggies to one side for the sake of the photo, but serving the veggies atop or under is just as tasty.

Let’s hear it for Angie and the great folk at Fiesta Friday, where this recipe has happily gone to party.  With this week’s co-hosts: Liz @ Spades, Spatulas, and Spoons and Mila @ Milkandbun.

And, we continue to party at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up, since we love to party!